Floating off-shore terminal



Feb. 19, 1963 A. J. SCHULTZ 3,077,615

FLOATING oFF-sHoRE TERMINAL Fiied Oct. 5. 196 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. AQNOLD J. Sun/r2 Feb 19, 1963 A. J. SCHULTZ FLOATING OFF-SHORE TERMINAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed O t. 5. 1961 INVENTOR.

' Ay/vow J- SCHULfZ Feb. 19, 1963 A. J. SCHULTZ 3,077,615

mums OFF-SHORE TERMINAL Filed Oct 5, 1961 4 sheets-sheet a q INVENTOR. APn/ow J. Scuuuz A rrolpzvsys Feb. 19, 1963 A. J. SCHULTZ 3,077,615

FLOATING OFF-SHORE TERMINAL Filed Oct. 5 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. fleilow d. Scnuwz United States Patent 3,077,615 FLOATING OFF-SHORE TERMINAL Arnold J. Schultz, 223 61st St., Brooklyn 20, N.Y. Filed Oct. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 143,239 4 Claims. (Cl. 9-8) This invention relates to floating olf-shore terminals, and more particularly to such terminals as are adapted to both load and unload a plurality of separate fluids from an off-shore tanker.

Modern harbours are extremely crowded, and considerable advantage resides in the ability to load and unload olf-shore. Moreover, aside from the commercial advantages inherent in off-shore loading, considerable military advantages are also involved. The major commercial advantages reside in the avoidance of harbour piloting and tugging fees, as well as the expenses of rentingvor otherwise controlling a land-side pier facility. Also ships using off-shore facilities need not wait for high tide to enter a harbour, and for all the reasons which make harbour operations risky, are better insurance subjects.

These advantages are particularly accentuated where tanker vessels are concerned, because there the danger of fire is greatest while the necessity for actual handling of the cargo in unloading is smallest.

One particularly desirable form of off-shore terminal would be one which requires little maintenance, is easily adaptable to any depth of water, allows tethering of the moored vessel, and is adaptable to handling more than one liquid at one time in either the loading or unloading directions or in combinations thereof.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide an off-shore terminal facility for loading and/ or unloading tankers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a floating off-shore terminal facility adaptable to use in any depth of water and further adapted to moor and tether a tanker loading and/ or unloading tanker.

Another object of the invention is to provide a floating off-shore terminal facility adaptable to use in any depth of water and further adapted to moor and tether a tanker loading and/ or unloading therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a facility having a relatively low profile on the waters surface so as to resist windy seas without excessive pitching thus providing superior mooring and connecting characteristics.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a facility having improved means for avoiding leakage oargoes, and having easy maintenance characteristics for ports most affected by a sea environment.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the hereinbelow detailed description of what is at present one excellent embodiment for practicing the invention, when taken with the claims and the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a vessel moored and connected to the floating off-shore terminal of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of the terminal of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a broken sectional view of the terminal of FIGURE 3 taken along line 4-4 therein and showing internal details of construction.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like characters identify like parts in all views thereof, and particularly to FIGURE 1, the floating off-shore terminal of the present invention, indicated generally at 10, is moored to the bot- "ice tom of the harbour by chains 9 or similar devices in any suitable number, three being contemplated in the present device for stability. A vessel 6 is shown moored by lines 8 to the terminal 10, and is thus free to tether thereon with the winds and tides, as will hereinafter be more fully described.

The terminal 10 is interconnected with the shore 5 and the ship 6 so as to allow passage of one or more fluids therebetween. Specifically, a plurality of relatively permanently connected conduit 7a connect the terminal 10 with the shore 5, while a plurality of temporarily connected conduit 7b connect the terminal 10 with the vessel 6. As will be hereinafter explained, the advantages of the present invention reside in the nature of the interconnections between the conduit 7a and the conduit 7b within the terminal 10, as well as in the overall terminal structure itself.

In one form of the invention particularly adaptable to military purposes, ballast tanks (not shown) or the float chamber 11 best shown in FIGURE 4 may be interconnected with one of conduit 7a directly which would terminate therein so that either water or air could be pumped into the chamber or tanks on order to raise the terminal 10 to the surface for use or to submerge it below the surface for concealment.

Such an embodiment would also have application in crowded harbours where floating terminals would not be desirable full time. However, in general, most installations will require only full time floating terminals not having the aforesaid provisions. Referring now particularly to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, such a terminal 10' comprises the aforesaid float chamber 11 having a platform 12 rotatably mounted thereon, and further having a fixed tower 13 mounted on said float chamber 11.

The arrangement of the parts, is such, as will be hereinafter described in detail, that the float chamber is relatively fixed or free from rotation because of the constraint of chains 9. The tower 13 is also fixed or free from rotation because of its rigid mounting upon the float chamber 11. All tethering necessary to allow the vessel 6 to follow the Wind and tide directions is accomplished by rotation of only two assemblies, the platform 12 and gasket assemblies atop the tower 13. This arrangement is responsible for several of the advantages of the invention as will become apparent hereinafter.

The float chamber 11 is surrounded by a bumper 11a of any suitably salt sea resistant resilient material. As best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, an annular track 14a follows the outer perimeter of float chamber 11 at its upper face, and a peripheral track 15a is notched into the outer vertical face of tower 13. Platform 12 is generally rectilinear and is at least somewhat wider than tower 13 and bears a plurality of wheel assemblies 14b along each end thereof above track 14a. Contained within each wheel assembly 14b, three of which are shown at each end in FIGURE 3, is a horizontal axis wheel 140. These wheels 14c bear the vertical load of the platform 12 and its equipment and transmit it to track 14a.

The area of platform 12 immediately adjacent tower 13 is open and bears a plurality of eight wheel assemblies 15b each containing a wheel having a vertical axis so as to support horizontal loads on platform 12. These Wheels 150 serve to retain platform 12 axially about tower 13, while all Wheels 150 and 140 serve to mount platform 12 in freely rotatable fashion upon float chamber 11.

As best shown in FIGURE 2, mounted upon platform 12 is a valve assembly 16 and a brace assembly 17. Valve assembly 16 has mounted thereon plurality of valves 16a, 16b, and 160, one for each of conduit 7b. Threaded means 18a, 18b and are adapted to connect conduit 7b to said valves in a manner adaptable to disconnection with facility. Such means are well known to the art.

Clamp means 19, also well known, is adapted to secure said connections against undue strain due to tossing of the terminal and snapping of the conduit 7b in the seas. Brace 17 is adapted to rigidly support each of conduit 20a, 20b and 200 which permanently interconnect valves 16a, 16b and 166 with the tower 13. Aflixed to platform 12 are hooks 21 for securing the mooring lines 3 for the vessel 6.

Theconstruction and arrangement of tower 13 is extremely important and is largely responsible for the advantages of the invention. As best shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, tower 13 comprises an outer structural shell .22 surmounted by a fluid chamber assembly 23. The various fluid chambers are 24 and 25, but any number may be employed sufficient to accommodate the plurality of conduit being utilized, subject to the fact that one such conduit is centrally disposed without a chamber, as will be hereinafter described. Thus in FIGURE 4, a plurality of annular chambers 24 and 25, arranged horizontally of each other, surround a centrally located swivel joint 25, of well known construction.

An annular plate 27 mutually surmounts and closes the open upper faces of the chambers 24 and 25. An annular ring 28 surrounds the outer perimeter of plate 27 while an annular ring 29 surrounds the inner perimeter of plate 27. Clamped by ring 28 is a gasket 28a, and clamped by ring 29 is a gasket 29a. These gaskets serve to completely seal plate 27 between rings 28 and 29 and chambers 24 and respectively against leakage but allowing rotation of plate 27.

Conduit 29a terminates at fixture 36a on plate 27 which communicates via aperture 3% therein with chamber 24. .Conduit 20c similarly terminates at fixture c which communicates via aperture 30d with chamber 25. Conduit 201; communicates directly with swivel joint 26, as aforesaid. Communicating directly with the underside of chambers 24 and 25 and swivel 26 are three conduit 7a, one each respectively.

It is a feature of the invention that the horizontal chambers 24 and 25 may be multiplied indefinitely without adding to the height of the overall assembly. Height is disadvantageous because of possible pitching due to wind resistance. Moreover, the horizontal disposition of the chambers means that the conduit 7a are connected directly thereto, and need not pass through a lower chamber to an upper chamber as is the case in vertically arranged chambers. This latter removes a great deal of the possibility of interleakage among the chambers, and makes the entire conduit available for repairing if necessary.

Moreover, the gasketing at the top of the mutually horizontal chambers present less gasket area for leakage than other approaches to that problem, and also prevents interleakage between the various cargoes. Interleakage is to be avoided, since some chambers may be for example for oil while others are for fuel or for gasoline or even for fresh water. Another advantage of this arrangement of solid topped float chamber 11 and horizontally disposed fluid chambers 24 and 25 is that a protected repair and repair supplies storage area is thereby provided.

While there is a practical limit to the number of vertical or pyramided chambers that may be employed, the horizontal arrangement is very little restricted. Thus several of the aforesaid mentioned fluids may be handled simultaneously with less likelihood of interleaka e.

In operation, a terminal 10 will be moored as aforesaid, and connected with. the shore by conduit 7a. If the provisions mentioned above are made, the terminal may normally float or may normally be submerged and may only float when about to be used. A vessel 6 may approach the terminal and put off a small launch (not shown). The occupants thereof, after reaching the terminal, may secure the lines 8 to the hooks 21. The conduit 712 will preferably be stored in the protected portion of tower 13 mentioned above, and suitably lashed down.

4 In this case the conduit 7b will be unrolled and fastened to valves 16a, 16b and and clamp 19.

The conduit 71) may also be carried by each vessel 6, although this is not preferred. In either event, after aflixing the conduit 7b to the terminal it) as aforesaid, the launch will proceed back to the vessel 6, paying out the floatable air-laden circuit 7b as it goes. The conduit will then be secured to the vessel and interconnected with its cargo and other storage receptacles.

Upon suitable communications with the shore installations 5, unloading of cargo through any or all of conduit '7!) to terminal 10 including the appropriate chambers and interconnections therein and thence to conduit 7a and the shore will be made. Unused conduit may simultaneously be employed to carry fresh water or fuel to the vessel 6, or any other fluid.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the vessel 6 will constantly change its direction to head into the wind and tide. This occurs naturally from the effect of those elements, and While the terminal float 11 with the tower 13 remains fixed at the center of any such rota tion, the platform 12 with all the appurtenant equipment and the gasket plate 27 with its appurtenant equipment will rotate with the vessel 6.

Full 360 rotation is thus allowed with a minimum degree of leakage and interleakage danger, and a low profile so as to avoid wind pitching. These crucial advantages are a direct result of the horizontally arranged fluid chambers and the top side gasketing arrangement thereon. Furthermore, these characteristics are not compromised by addition of even more chambers for more simultaneous cargoes, which was not the case with the prior art attempts in this art.

What has been described is one embodiment, at present believed .to be the best, of the invention claimed hereinafter. Those skilled in the art may modify this embodiment in many ways apparent to them but still within the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A floating off-shore terminal for loading and unloading liquids between a shore facility and a vessel moored to said terminal comprising a buoyant float chamber, a tower structure fixedly mounted thereon, a rotatable platform mounted upon said float chamber coaxially with said tower structure, a fluid chamber assembly comprising a horizontally disposed plurality of concentric coterminous annular chambers within said tower, a plate covering the top-side of said annular chambers and Idtatably gasketed thereto at the outer perimeter thereof, a first plurality of conduits communicating with the underside of said fluid chamber assembly one each with each of said annular chambers, and a second plurality of conduits mounted on said rotatable platform and communicating through said rotatable plate one each with each of said underlying annular chambers.

2. A floating off-shore terminal for loading and unloading liquids between a shore facility and a vessel moored to said terminal comprising a buoyant float chamber, a tower structure fixedly mounted thereon, a rotatable platform mounted upon said float chamber coaxially with said tower structure, said platform being essentially long enough to span said float chamber but appreciably less in width so as to leave nonrotatable standing and repair and storage space on said float chamber, a fluid chamber assembly comprising a horizontally disposed plurality of concentric coterminous annular chambers within said tower, a plate covering the top-side of said annular chambers, and rotatably gasketed thereto at the outer perimeter thereof, a first plurality of conduits communicating with the underside of said fluid chamber assembly one each with each of said annular chambers, and a second plurality of conduits mounted on said rotatable platform and communicating through said rotatable plate one each with each of said underlying chambers.

3. A floating ofl-shore terminal for loading and unloading liquids between a shore facility and a vessel moored to said terminal comprising a buoyant float chamber, a tower structure fixedly thereon, a rotatable platform mounted upon said float chamber coaxially With said tower structure, a fluid chamber assembly within said tower comprising a fluid swivel joint disposed at the center of rotation of said platform and a plurality of concentric coterminous annular chambers each of said chambers being horizontally arranged coaxially with said swivel joint, a plate covering the top-side of said annular chambers and rotatably gasketed thereto at the outer perimeter thereof, a first plurality of conduits one of which communicates with the underside of said swivel joint and the remaining of which communicates with the underside of said fluid chamber assembly one each with each of said annular chambers, and a second plurality of conduits mounted on said rotatable platform one of which communicates with the upperside of said swivel joint and the remaining of which communicate through said rotatable plate one each with each of said underlying annular chambers.

4. A floating off-shore terminal for loading and unloading liquids between a shore facility and a vessel moored to said terminal comprising a buoyant float chamber, a tower structure fixedly mounted thereon, a rotatable platform mounted upon said float chamber coaXially with said tower structure, said platform being essentially long enough to span said float chamber but appreciably less in width so as to leave nonrotatable standing and repair and storage space on said float chamber, a fluid chamber assembly within said tower comprising a fluid swivel joint disposed at the center of rotation of said platform and a plurality of concentric coterminous annular chambers each of said chambers being horizontally arranged coaxially with said swivel joint, an annular plate covering the top-side. of said annular chambers and rotatably gasketed thereto at the outer perimeter thereof and at the inner perimeter thereof, a first plurality of conduits one of which communicates with the underside of said swivel joint and the remaining of which communicate with the underside of said fluid chamber assembly one each with each of said annular chambers, and a second plurality of conduits mounted on said rotatable platform one of which communicates with the upperside of said swivel joint and the remaining of which communicates through said rotatable plate one each with each of said underlying annular chambers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brackx Nov. 27, 1956 Griebe July 14, 1959 534,686 Germany Oct. 20, 1931 

1. A FLOATING OFF-SHORE TERMINAL FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING LIQUIDS BETWEEN A SHORE FACILITY AND A VESSEL MOORED TO SAID TERMINAL COMPRISING A BUOYANT FLOAT CHAMBER, A TOWER STRUCTURE FIXEDLY MOUNTED THEREON, A ROTATABLE PLATFORM MOUNTED UPON SAID FLOAT CHAMBER COAXIALLY WITH SAID TOWER STRUCTURE, A FLUID CHAMBER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED PLURALITY OF CONCENTRIC COTERMINOUS ANNULAR CHAMBERS WITHIN SAID TOWER, A PLATE COVERING THE TOP-SIDE OF SAID ANNULAR CHAMBERS AND ROTATABLY GASKETED THERETO AT THE OUTER PERIMETER THEREOF, A FIRST PLURALITY OF CONDUITS COMMUNICATING WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID FLUID CHAMBER ASSEMBLY ONE EACH WITH EACH OF SAID ANNULAR CHAMBERS, AND A SECOND PLURALITY OF CONDUITS MOUNTED ON SAID ROTATABLE PLATFORM AND COMMUNICATING THROUGH SAID ROTATABLE PLATE ONE EACH WITH EACH OF SAID UNDERLYING ANNULAR CHAMBERS. 